National Republican., 1887-11-16
snrghnm snrnr Indnstrv.

pamphlets and other writings upon
he sugar question and tariff the
foipbum cane as one OF the three
sources from which this country
can produce sufficient sugar for home con-
sumption with an abundant overplus for
export, provided the people set about II in
earnest.
In evidence Of the capacity Of sorghum
to produce sucrose or sugar crystals In
quantity and quality equal to Louisiana
sugar cane and the sugar beet, this writer
has presented manifold exhibits and su.
thentic data covering a period OF
more than six hundred years, and
including the scientific experiments with
sorghum Of DR.. Peter Collier, OF the Ma
tional Academy Of Science; Prof. Stubbs,
the La Sugar Experiment Station; Prof.
Swenson, and host OF sorghum specialists
and producers Of sorghum In this country
Dr. Collier, stimulated'by harsh and un-
just official treatment which eliminated in
the severance OF his connection with the ag-
ricultural department, as well as animated
by desire to employ the results OF his Of
fetal experiments to advantage, has pre-
sented volumnious facts and results OF his
official experiments to the people during
the past five years, and his persistence has
III
as q sugar producer.
The official failures at Fort Scott in the
season OF 1886, about which enough has
been written to fill dozen imperial oc-
tavo volumes OF several thousand pages,
by enemies and friends of sorghum, have
been followed, as predicted, by this writer
at the time, by the most ample and decided
success under the direction OF Supt. Park
inson and Prof Swenson at Fort Scott dur
nf tvill ha
seen In the following letter from United
States Senator Plumb;
:, EMroRIA, KAN, Sept. %, 1sS7.-H. A.
BROWN, Eso., Saxouville, Mass.-Dedr Sir /:
Yours of the 18th is before me. There Is no
doubt that the success at Fort Scott iustines all
pounds of sugar and Is gallons of moasSes have
been made from a ton of sorghum cane, aud
this from hundreds Of tons. The average win
not be so high, but II viii not fall short of ll5
pounds ofsugar per ton of cane. The yield of
cane per acre is nom 10 to Is tons.
The state of Kansas has an accomplished
chemist and an experienced sorghum sugar
maker at the works commissioned to make a
report. He agrees with all the rest as TO the
above results IL seems to me that the future
OF the sorghum industry Is assured. OF course
ample capital Is yet to be enlisted but that
ought TO be done without much trouble.
very much hope that you may conclude to re-
construct your own company and come this
way. Very truly yours, Z. B. PLUMB, u, s. 8.
accepts the situation In a series Of aerobatic
admissions, the value OF which are well un-
deTstood by those acquainted with the agri-
cultural departments official failures OF last
season. In his speech at Fort Scott, Sept.
o, 1887, Mr.. Colman said: 81 came here at
your invitation with fear and trembling,
but found that the works were making 100
pounds Of fine sugar per ton of cane from the
first run, and that twenty pounds of sugar
hn rot tha nj rt1,, tAaII Iaa
ten gallons of sirup." Again he said:
"There 10 no plant to compete with sor-
ghum In making sugar, ,and 1t places Kansas
In position where she can furnish large
part Of the sugar used in ths United States"
Authentic Information received by this
writer dated Rio Grande, N. j., Oct. /, 1887,
says: yesterday we ran the massequite
from one acre Of sorghum cane raised by
farmer Q1.14 tons) with this result: 1,444
lasses, which was 129 Clio pounds per ton
OF cane"
The above statement is most gratifying
as merited result Of perseverance, at Rio
Grande In face Of the withdrawal OF state
bounty on sorghum sugar produced In New
Jersey; other evidence Of success abounds,
but it is not required at this writing.
BY diffusing Clipped cane in hot water,
after the manner Of diffusion employed In
Europe with sugar beets, 90 per cent. OF the
sucrose or sugar contained In the sorghum
cane can readily be extracted therefrom,
whereas by the mill or grinding and pressure
process the average OF sucrose Juice ex-
tracted does not exceed so per cent; al
though in rare cases 20 to 7S per cent. OF the
juice has been extracted by the mill pro.
cess, as a rule from 80 to 40 per cent. OF the
sucrose juice has been lost. The success at
Fort Scott In 1887 is due to diffusion and
scientific skill, untrammeled by official die
tation.
Louisiana cane, sugar beets, and ma
tured sorghum cane contain an average
of from 12 to IA per cent. OF sucrose,
from 10 to IL per cent. being available
sugar; in other words, 1t is possible to
produce 200 pounds to 240 pounds OF
sugar from 1000 pounds of matured cane
beets, or sorghum grown In the United
States and treated by the process of diffu
sion. supt. L. H. Dyer, of Alyara1o, Cal,
has produced over lOper cent: OF refined
of Louisiana, has produced nearly
10 per cent. Of sugar from cane
and Professors Collier. Hughes,
Swenson, Stubbs, and others have pro.
duced from 1870 to 150 pounds of sugar from
1900 pounds of sorghum cane, while al
Fort Scott Prof. Swenson with Supt
Parkinson have, In 1887, produced "13,
per ton Of cane, and this from hundreds o.
tons.n
The actual consumption Of sugar In th'
United States for the year ended June 81
1886, was In round numbers after deductir
exports 3,206, 100000 pounds, Of whiy
, $3.50, 1S4,G54 pounds were importc
the actual consumption Of SUI
per capita in 1856 was 5435 poun
of which 42.7l pounds were fore
hn tcan In nf
American consumers was, In 1884, So
696, ,721, or GA cents per pound, and g.
pounds were consumed per capita. I
approximate cost of sugar to consumer
1856 was $500, ,425, 900, or S.25 cents
pound.
While We cannot hope to obtain In
country yield of sugar per acre equ4
the Hawaiian Islands, where, in 1886,
eIal plantations produced six tons OF ST.
swindle, II Is certain that an average y
Of one ton OF sugar per acre of cane, be
or sorghum can be readily produced by
fSsSn fro@ srup p and sh'' cattle H0aGftsSa foSa It
an assured fact that sorghum will ma
forsugar anywhere In the United 81
south of 3S or 40 degrees north latitu
there is also an enormous area of Ian
this country, suited to sugar beet cultu
Whiio euEur cauo cau pe ruincu tnIouBn' =
the southernmost states of the Union.
In 1885 we consumed 1,43l ,6l5 tons
sugar; the proper cultivation Of that nj
ber of acres of cane, beets, and sorghum
sugar will, with the moderate yield of 6
ton Of sugar per acre, supply the ent
consumption OF sugar in this count
whereas We possess many millions OF acI
OF lands suitable for raising the three gre
sugar producers named; properly cultivate
sorgham matured for sugar making wi,
only ten tons Of cane to the acre, skill
fully worked for sugar by diffusion, will
yield an an average OF more dollars per acr
from corn, barley, oats, hay, and whea
com bined; sorghum seed alone will pay tn
cost Of eultiyatiug, that sugar producing
plant which will also afford Louisiana
double sugar crop annually.
The relations of our suqar- Droducinl